SEIV Gold Difficulty Question

[Crossfire]

I currently have SEIV and while I like the game I have never been greatly impressed with the AI even at the highest setting. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Is the AI on SEIV Gold worth spening the money for the newer Version? I have played the demo but I have not been able to come to a firm conclusion within the 100 turn limit. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif

[Arkcon]

Originally posted by Crossfire:
I currently have SEIV and while I like the game I have never been greatly impressed with the AI even at the highest setting. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon9.gif

Is the AI on SEIV Gold worth spening the money for the newer Version? I have played the demo but I have not been able to come to a firm conclusion within the 100 turn limit. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/confused.gif <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You don't absolutely need Gold if play only against humans. Patches only work for Gold, so if the AI is going to get better, you'll need Gold.

Hmmm... when I first got Gold I saw there were some slight improvements the were distintive. The way it handles minefields, is an example.

Are you giving the AI at least a low bonus so it doesn't have problems if it finds only poor planets around it?

I always find the TDM-Modpack races a challange.

[oleg]

Supposedly, new 1.84 patch should make AI at highest level much more dangerous. Before, AI did't build more ships than allowed by pre-bonus income restriction on maintenence. Now it should be able to build twice or even five times more ships.

[capnq]

Gold makes a number of small improvements to the user interface. The cumulative effect of all the improvements makes playing "classic" feel tedious by comparison, IMO.

I don't know how many of the UI improvements are reflected in the demo.

[F Te antKe]

Crossfire,
Yes it is well worth it.

[couslee]

F Te antKe,
Please don't take any offence to this, but it is kinda hard to sound convincing with only ONE post attributed to your nic. Not saying you don't know the game, or have not played it a lot, or that Gold is not worth it. I just kinda found that funny. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

[F Te antKe]

couslee
I am never offended by a persons perceptions of the world or their inclinations to express them.

[ February 01, 2003, 20:31: Message edited by: F Te antKe ]

[Fyron]

Originally posted by couslee:
F Te antKe,
Please don't take any offence to this, but it is kinda hard to sound convincing with only ONE post attributed to your nic. Not saying you don't know the game, or have not played it a lot, or that Gold is not worth it. I just kinda found that funny. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Couslee, so what if it was his first post? That doesn't mean his opinion is any less valid than anyone else's.

[oleg]

Indeed. Since there only 24 hours a day, one can not both play SE and post here. It is entirely possible that people with lowest post count know SE more than Cantina regulars. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Fyron]

I know SE more than cantina regulars. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

[F Te antKe]

I "de lurked" today to post my haiku about the shuttle. I took what couslee said with a large grain of salt, (about the size of the Rock of Gibraltar). I wonder if Crossfire did.
I’ve an inclination to ask couslee who in the forum he believes is qualified to give an unbiased opinion on purchasing Gold. I personally enjoy the combination of TDM and Fyron’s Quadrant Mod. I don’t think they work with Classic. They always give me a run for my money.
To make the contest a bit harder I encourage you to handicap yourself no matter what Version you play.

[oleg]

another reason fo Gold is that several _very_ good mods, like Proportions, utilize special Gold features and can not be played with 1.49

[F Te antKe]

Crossfire,
"I also go max number of opponents and no neutrals."
I have read a few places that you should minimize the number of AIs. When there are too many of them they end up fighting among themselves till you reach Mega Evil Empire. I’m not sure what the Number / size of quadrant is. I usually play with 6 TDM AI in a small quadrant.
Some of the handicaps you can give yourself:
Only use Counter Intel. – I have read the AI just does not do very well with it. I have crushed the AI using it.
Don’t use Fleet or Ship training facilities
Invade planets instead of glassing them. It is a lot harder.
Don’t trade with them
Only colonize one Planet type
Only play simultaneous games

I’m sure there are more.
Any body else? Is there a list at the Encyclopedia?

[Crossfire]

In answer to Arkon's question - Yes I am playing on high difficulty and I am playing with a high bonus to the computer players. Just to make it more difficult I also go max number of opponents and no neutrals.

About the number of Posts topic - I asked for opinions, I didn't say only answer if you have posted "x" number of times on this forum. I have been playing SEIV for a while now but I have not posted previously either. I and I hope others would make judgements based on the content of the Messages a person Posts. Otherwise I could sit here for the next week and post a few hundred pieces of drivel on this board just to "up my rating".

I did hear what I was looking for and I will be upgrading to the Gold Version. I just didn't want to hear a bunch of people say don't throw your money away its not worth it to upgrade. I only hope that they continue to support the Version I am going to buy now.
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif